Improvement in lubricating apparatus for steam-engine cylinders



J. WI-IBELOGK. atus for Steam-Engine Cylinders.

Lubricating Appar Patented Oct.'28, 1879.

NPETERS. PHOTO-UTHDGRAFHER. WASHINGTON D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEROME WHEELOOK, OF VVOROESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN LUBRICATING APPARATUS FOR STEAM-ENGINE CYLINDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 22l,l32, dated October28, 1879; application tiled Septcniber25, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEROME WHEELocK, of the city and county ofWorcester, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Lubricating Apparatus for Steam-Engine Cylinders;and I do hereby declare that the following specification, taken inconnect-ion with the drawings furnished and forming a part thereof, is aclear, true, and complete description of my invention.

My apparatus in delivering oil to the cylinder is positively operated,as heretofore, by means of a pump, the piston of which is reciprocatedby mechanism connected with some moving portion of the engine; but inthe dc livery of oil from a reservoir to the pump, I employ an oil-cockand an air-duct, whereby the oil may be delivered to the pump in dropsat long or short intervals, or in a stream, ac cording to variedrequirements, and whenever the quantity of oil is less than the space vacated by the retirement of the piston within the pump, sufficient airwill be supplied by way of the induction-valve to insure a discharge ofoil from the pump to the cylinder in quantities and at intervalscorresponding substantia-lly with the quantities dropped and theintervals between the drops from the reservoir.

The oilreservoir is composed of glass, as

heretofore, to enable the quantity of oil therein to be at all timesreadily observable. The

oil-cock which delivers oil to the pump is also inclosed within a glasschamber, so that the delivery of oil to the pump may be readilygraduated and observed while protected from dust and dirt.

In the construction of my apparatus, I have also devised a certainarrangement of the valve-chambers and interior ducts, whereby theclearance of the pumpis reduced to a minimum, and it is enabled tooperate efiectually in delivering oil equally well, whether in acontinuous stream or in a minimum quantity at intervals.

The several features of my invention which Ihereby seek to protect byLetters Patent, are specifically pointed out at the end of thisspecification.

To more particularly describe my invention I will refer to theaccompanying drawings, in

which Figure 1 represents one of my lubrica tors in side view. Fig. 2represents the same in central vertical longitudinal section.

The main body A of the apparatus is of cast metal, and is provided witha vertical central chamber divided into an upper and a lowervalvechamber, designated as a and a, respectively. The central chamberis tubular, and is threaded for the greater portion of its length, andcontains a threaded plug, a which separates the two valve-chambers, andwhich also serves as a base for supporting a spiral spring, a whichsupports and holds it to its seat, the upper or induction valve b beinghoused centrally in a crown-plu g, c, and provided with an oil-duct,c.The upper and lower valve-chambers are connected by an oilway, (I,provided for in casting. Thcloweror eduction-valve c is seated in thelower portion of the central 0113111 ber, its upper surface being quiteclosely adjacent to the lower side of the threaded plug a and both ofthe valve-chambers, as well as the oilway d, are reduced in theirdimensions, as far as is practicable, in view of the minute quantitiesof oil to be delivered by the apparatus.

The lower valve-chamber communicates by way of duct or passage f to asuitable pipe or tube, (not shown,) which communicates withtheinteriorof the steam-cylinder. Thethreaded plug a has a squaredrecess for holding the spiral spring, and this recess enables the plugto be turned in or out of the central chamber by means of a square keyfitted to enter the recess and operate as a wrench.

The body A has a lateral tubular chamber, A, which communicates at itsinner end with the oilway d. Said tubular chamber contains a piston, 9,provided with a stuffing-box, g, and at its outer end with a means forattachment to some moving part of the engine for securing the requisitereciprocating movement. As thus far described, it will be readilyunderstood that if oil be supplied to the duct 0, and the pistonoperated, the oil will pass, m'a valve b, to bottom of way d, thencethrough valve e, m duct f, to the steam-cylinder, and it will beobserved that the clearance ofthe pump is practically reduced to aminimum, which is an important consideration in a pump intended todeliver oil in quantities of from a single drop upward. v

The apparatus is provided with a threaded foot, h, whereby it may beattached to a cylinder or to a suitable standard.

The reservoir B is composed of glass. A bottomless bottle maybe used forthis purpose, its neck '5 being inserted within an annularrecess in thecrown-plug c, and secured,

therein by cement c of any suitable variety, and oil may be kept fromsaid cement by means of a cork washer, c tightly inclosing the oilduct0, and snugly filling the lower portionof the neck of the reservoir.

The oil-cock for delivering oil from the reservoir to the pump may bevariously constructed without departing from the main feature of myinvention; The one shown is inclosed, yet visible, and is capable ofbeing graduated to deliver the oil in minute quantities.

The oil-cock preferred by me embodies a central tube, 70, which extendsabove the cap B of the reservoir, and is screw-threaded externally atits lower end and fitted to a tube, 1, threaded internally, and providednear its upper end with lateral oil-passages m, which are guarded by thelower end of the tube l, which, on being turned so as to move it up ordown'on its thread within tube 1, will open or close said passages andpermit much or little oil to pass from the reservoir downward. The upperend of the tube It being open permits air to freely enter to facilitatethe free dropping of the oil, and also to pass downward to the pump.

The tube lis housed in a cork. packing, a, which snugly fills the neckof the reservoir and prevents oil from passing below, except by way ofthe oil-cock.

The glass walls of what I will term the drop-chamber 0 enable frequentand convenient observation as to the delivery of oil, and the tube is isreadily accessible for 'varying the delivery at will, either in aconstant stream or in drops at desired intervals.

It will be readily seen that the oil will be delivered by the pump tothe cylinder in proportion as it is supplied from the reservoir, andthat if a quantity of oil be supplied which is less in bulk than thespace vacated by the piston in its backward movement, air will be freelypermitted to enter m'a pipe k, tube 1, and valve 1), so that when thepiston next moves forward the oil received and more or less airv will bedriven through valve 0 to the cylinder.

It will also be seen that the location of both valve-chambers within thecentral chamber,

which is divided by the central plug, admits of great economy inconstruction.

For prevent-in g the air-tube 7: from being accidentally turned, anywellknown mechanical means may be employed, as, for instance, the cap Bmay be secured to the reservoir, and a set-screw in its top arranged toen gage with said tube.

1 do not limit myself to the precise construction of parts shown anddescribed, nor to their precise arrangement with relation to each otherwhich I have adopted, for I am well aware that much variation may bemade therein without departing from my intention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbeforedescribed, of a lubricating oil-pump, an oil-reservoir, an oil-cock fordelivering oil from the reservoir to the pump in any desired quantity,and an air-duct communicating with said pump, whereby the delivery ofoil to the pump may be varied at will to meet varied requirements, andthe pump, by the aid of air I in its chamber be enabled to eject the oiltherefrom drop by drop, or in any desired greater quantity up to itsfullest capacity, as set forth.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of alubricating-oil pump, an oil-reservoir, and an oil-cock externallycontrollable but located within a glass chamber, whereby the quantity ofoil delivered by the cock to the pump may be readily graduated and thedropping or the flow of oil be under convenient observation, as setforth.

3. A lubricating apparatus provided with the central chamber, the plug adividing the same into upper and lower valve-chamrbers, the oilwayconnecting said valve-chant bers, a piston and chamber communicatingwith said oilway, and suitable llldllOtlOlliilld eduction valves andpassages, the whole constituting a lubricating-pump, substantially as 1shown and described, for the attainment of a minimum of clearance andeconomy in construction, as set forth.

4. The combination, with the reservoir of a lubricating apparatus, ofthe threaded air-pipe and the threaded tube provided with lateraloil-passages, substantially as described.

' JEROME WHEELOOK.

Witnesses:

GEo. H. SOUTHWIOK, WILLIAM A. RAND.

